US navy prepares allies to 'protect navigation' in Gulf

The United States is training Gulf allies to "protect navigation" in the region's troubled waterways, as Washington seeks to build an alliance of friendly nations to contain Iran. The US' three-week-long International Maritime Exercise (IMX) that began on October 21 comes after a number of commercial vessels were attacked in the Gulf from May, ratcheting up regional tensions. Washington and other Western powers blamed the incidents on Iran, but Tehran has denied any involvement.